Developmental Differences in Clinical Features Between Variants of Psychopathic Traits in Children with Conduct Problems

• In Event: Poster Session 05
  In Poster Session: PS 05 Topic - Developmental Psychopathology

Abstract

Objective. Original definitions of psychopathy suggest the existence of two variants (primary, secondary) that present with distinct behavioral, psychological and social clinical features among antisocial adults (e.g., Goulter et al., 2019; Hicks et al., 2004) and adolescents (e.g., Kimonis et al., 2013; Kahn et al., 2013). However, whether these clinical differences originate early in life or emerge at some point during childhood remains uncertain. We examined if primary and secondary variants follow distinct developmental trajectories of theoretically relevant clinical features among children with conduct problems (CP). Method. Participants were 370 children (40.3% girls) with CP initially aged 8.49 years old in average (s.d. = 0.93). Variants indicators (callous-unemotional traits and anxiety levels) and clinical features (cognitive abilities, CP, oppositional problems, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity problems, narcissism-grandiosity traits, impulsivity-irresponsibility traits, social competence, victimization) were measured at six yearly assessments. A dual trajectory modelling approach was used to identify groups and group memberships were entered in conditional growth models predicting trajectories of clinical features. Results. Four groups were identified: CP-only, anxious, primary, and secondary. The two variants showed higher initial levels of impairment than the CP only group on most features. Compared to the primary variant, membership to the secondary variant was associated with more stable patterns of CP, oppositional problems, narcissism-grandiosity and impulsivity-irresponsibility traits. Moreover, children from the secondary variant showed higher initial levels of impairment in terms of cognitive abilities, depression, and victimization with non-significant effects on the slope parameters suggesting that these early differences persist across development. Conclusions. In addition to showing distinct clinical features relatively early in childhood, children from the secondary variant of psychopathic traits are at particularly high risk of experiencing an increasing psychopathological burden across childhood. The early identification and treatment of these children therefore appears particularly important.

Authors

• Vincent Bégin, Université de Sherbrooke
  Presenting Author

• Michèle Déry, Université de Sherbrooke
  Non-Presenting Author

• Yann Le Corff, Université de Sherbrooke
  Non-Presenting Author